BAMLAK TESSEMA WEYESA is an Ethiopian football referee who has been a integral part of the African game for almost 20 years, and qualified as an international FIFA referee in 2009.

He talks to the Voice of Sport about the dream of officiating in the Premier League, Sadio Mane and the World Cup next month…

AT: You are regarded as one of the best referees in Africa. Do you like being famous?

I don’t think I am famous! I like to be ordinary.  But because I officiate the top games in Africa, I am well known. I have never worked to become famous – I have worked hard as a referee because it is my big passion.

Ever since my first international match between Djibouti and Senegal in 2010, it has been an honour and privilege to be considered a top official in Africa.

When I started in this profession, I was always dreaming of becoming an elite referee. I believe God has looked after me well as I have worked my way up to the top panel of African referees. 

Why did you decide to become a referee?

The real truth is that I became a referee because I couldn’t make it as a player! I loved playing football and represented my schools and college but I didn’t get the chance to play in the top Ethiopian leagues. I had trials at the renowned ELPA (Ethiopia Electrical Power Authority) teams but the coach didn’t give me a chance to play because the guys who came were unbelievable and I didn’t get the ball much!

So many teams came to play competitions near where I lived and I started refereeing there. I soon built up a good reputation and many teams preferred me officiating in their games.

Then I took a course and became a licensed referee. Following the recommended pathway in Ethiopia, I became a FIFA referee in 2009. Now I get to meet top level players and teams from around the world on the pitch and it’s amazing for me. 

Have any players given you a tough time?

I am very lucky that I have refereed so many matches over the years and no player has really given me a hard time. Others are very pleasant to me, for example Sadio Mane. His professionalism, mentality and kind approach to referees is fantastic. It was so nice to work with him.

Would you like to work in the Premier League?

I would love to be in the Premier League, that is the benchmark for referees. The speed, the flow, the professionalism of the game, it is global.

Everything is happening in that league and it is a blessing to be part of that. I have heard of a few foreign referees joining the league but at the moment I still think it is a dream for me coming from Africa.

We have friends working there and they share their knowledge of the games and competitions when we meet them for referee training conferences.

It’s an amazing opportunity to referee in front of top professional players from around the world and develop our refereeing skills.

The standards are very high in the Premier league and we are constantly learning from them.

You have been praised worldwide for using VAR technology correctly in the recent AFCON semi-final between Senegal and Burkino Faso. Has VAR helped or ruined the game?

VAR is great modern technology which if used in the right way will help us make better decisions and we will also keep improving.

In my opinion, VAR is like a parachute on a plane to save a person’s life – we get a second chance to see important decisions which can change the outcome of a game. I definitely think it’s good for football.

What is the hardest part of being a referee?

It’s mostly an amateur profession in many countries, so we have a full-time job and referee part time.

There is not much time for family as we have to train, read, and travel a lot – especially in Africa. There is a huge difference between amateurs and professional referees.

What advice can you give others who want to be a referee?

You have to be passionate about the game. You won’t get rich, but you will travel to a lot of countries and you can enhance your reputation in your country and be as famous as some football stars if you succeed.

There is an amazing satisfaction – which is very hard to describe – when you are controlling games in a peaceful way and the responsibility which comes with it.

It gives you great pleasure if conducted in the right way and etiquette. If you can control your emotions, it’s a good profession for you.

Finally, will you be going to the World Cup?

This is the dream of dreams and maybe God will be kind to me and I will go!